Car construction



March 2l, 1933.

o. C. DURYEA CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 29, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet llhweutor March 21, 1933. o. c. DURYEA CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 29,1927 5 Sheets-Shea?I 2 ww uw N @fav/1% 224, w. a, ,z a.

rulli! anni (Ittornegs March 21, 1933. o. c. DURYEA CAR CONSTRUCTION1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed oct'. 29

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Snucntor Gttorncg 5 Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED sTATEs- IPATENT-orrlcle:l

OTHO C. DUB-YEL OF WATBBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 O. C. DURYEACORPORA- TION, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE `cifraconaannemen2 Application mec 'october 29,1921.' seran No. 229,761

This invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to arailway hoppercar. It is an object of this invention to provide a novelhopper car structure embodying a longitudinal center member whichismounted for movement relative'to the car structure.

Another object of this invention isto provide a car structure of thetype embodying a draft and bung member extending substantially thelength of the structure, the latter being provided with novelmeans fordistributing draft and buiing forces exerted on,

said member.

Another object is to proyide a novel bolster structure particularlyvadapted for use `in hopper carsf embodying a longitudinally movablecenter member.Y A further object is to provide novel means l foryieldingly resisting movement ofthe center member relative to the carbody.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide novel means foryieldingly resisting rela- I,tive movement of the center member andcoupler whereby thecapacity of the striking plate may be materiallyincreased.

Another object is to provide novel stop means for positively limitingthe relative -movement of the center member.

A further object is to provide a car strucings are for purposes ofillustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of'the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for thispurpose.

In the drawings,-

v Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of a hoppercar structure embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view and Fig. 3 is a vertical Sectionalview showing one typev of' yielding means which maybe employed inaccordancel with the present in'- vention; i

Fig." 4 is atransverse sectional view, with parts broken away, throughone of the hoppers; l.

Fig. 5 yis a detail sectional view illustrating one type of stop meanswhich may be employed Fig.- 6 is an end view, partly in section and withparts broken away, of one type of bolster construction which may beemployed` i in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 7 is atransverse sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a drawn out perspective'view of one type oftrain slack meanswhich may be employed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring more particularly to` Figs. 1, 4 and 6, the structureconstituting the present l invention comprises a car body of the hoppertype which is mounted on suitable trucks (not shown), by means of centerplates 10 whlch are preferably attached, as by means of rivets 11, tothe lower face of a body bolster 12. In order to employ a largescaledrawing, a portion only of the car structure has been shown in Fig. 1.It is to be understood, however, that the same construction is employedat bothl ends of the car. Suitable doors 13, 14 are provided for thehoppers but the particular construction of these doors constitutes nopart of the present invention.

Extending between the bolsters, and in the form shown substantiallythe'length of the Icarstructure, and mounted for longitudinal movementrelative thereto, is a center member constituting a draft and buiingbeam. In the embodiment illustrated, the center member comprises a pairof channels 15 which are rigidly secured together at a plurality ofpoints, by means of suitable tie plates 16 and other members to bedescribed hereafter.

It is desirable that the center member occupy the same relative positionwith respect to the car structure as that heretofore occupied by thecenter sills of hopper cars now `in use. For this purpose it isdesirable for the center member to pass through a suitable opening oropenings in the body holsters and cross bearers. Yielding means areemployed for resisting relative movement of the center member, andpreferably, though not necessarily, said means are associated directlywith the holsters, so that draft and bufling forces exerted on thecenter member are thrown on said bolsters. Means are thereforeassociated with the holsters for insuring that the forces exertedthereon, by relative movement of said center member; will be distributedlto the car structure without damage to the same.`

As shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 6, thel novel bolster comprises a.diaphra 17 which is secured along its vupper ed e, 1n any suitablemanner, to the lower sur ace of the hopper floor sheet 18 and to thelower flanged edge of said diaphragm is suitably riveted a cover plate19. Diaphragm 17 is provided adjacent the lower central portion thereofwith an opening 17a in which is positioned a center brace 20 that may beformed as a casting. The lower surface of brace 20 is fixedly attached,as by means of rivets, to the cover plate 19, and is provided adjacentthe bottom thereof with two laterally disposed and vertically extendingflange portions 20a which are secured, as by means of rivets, to

' the lower edges of a longitudinal hood sheet 21 tov be described morefully hereinafter. The upper end of the center brace 20 is secured, asby means o f rivets, to the longitudinal hood sheet 21 and the structureis preferably further strengthened by means of a reinbrace 20 ismaterially less in width than the width of the opening 17a in thediaphragm, and since said center brace is centrally disposed in theopening, suflicient space is provided between the outer vertical wallsof said center brace and the hood-sheet 21 for the passage of channels15 of the center member. The inner faces of the webs of said channelmembers are adapted for sliding engagement 'with the outer faces of thecentral, vertical, portion of the center brace20, whereby lateralmovement of thecenter member is prevented. The lower flanges o fchannels 15 are adapted to bear on transversely extending Webs or ridgesformed on the laterally projecting portions of thecenter brace 20, whilesuitable guiding members 23 (Fig. (i) are fixedly attached to the innersurface of the hood sheet in a position to slidably engage the holsters.

said hood sheet' being rigidly secured to the floor sheet. Preferably,the outer. portions of the lower edges of the longitudinal hood sheetare flanged laterally as at 21a (Fig. 6) and are secured, as by means ofrivets, to the upper surface`of the cover plate 19. In the -form shown,the hood sheet extends inward- 4ly, to a cross bearer 24 and is rigidlysecured thereto, but it is to be understood that said `hood sheet mayhave any'desired length and may even extend from one bolster to theother. The hood sheet also serves as a torque arm to prevent twistingofthe bolster.

In structures heretofore employed, the outer end of the longitudinalhood sheet has'terminated at the hopper floor sheet 18 since in saidstructures the center sill, which is riveted to said hood sheet prevents.draft and buflin forces fromde ecting the plate oreover, hood sheetsheretofore employed have had a form in cross section that issubstantially dish-shaped. In the present structure, however, the centermember, `which also embodies some of the functions of a center sill, isadapted for movement relative to the holsters and excessive forcesplaced thereon, are distributed to the car structure by the novel hoodsheet disclosed herein, or the equivalent thereof. Due to this functionof the hood sheet,.the same is substantially U-shaped in cross section,the arms of the U being sufficiently lon to extend downwardly below thelower sur ace of the center member. These arms also constitute a Yportion of the side walls for the hoppers, as is indicated at 2lb inFig. 4. Preferably,

suitable guides 25 are secured to the inner sur-.

face of the hood sheet at selected points to engage the upper flanges ofchannels 15 andto prevent buckling of the same both horizontally andvertically.

Novel means are provided for securing trainslack. Referring moreparticularly to Figs. 1, 7 and 8, saidmeans comprise a striking plate 26rigidly secured to the` outer ends of channels 15. A striking plateguide 27 is secured to the end of the body structure to support andguidethe striking plate and the channels 15. "Suitable openings 28 areprovided in the strikingx plate 26 for receiving the usual coupler 'ey29 which extends through the shank 30 of the coupler 80a. Intermediatethe inner-end of the coupler shank and the inner face of the rear wallof the striking plate 26 is a cap 31 that is slidably mounted in apocket 26a formed in said striking plate. Cap'31 is provided with tendinto pockets 33 formed in a follower 34' for ak purpose to be describedhereinafter.

Movement ofthe coupler shank 30 inwardly, relative to the strikingplate, is transmitted through cap 31 and pins 32 to the follower 34.

The extent of Imovement of coupler shank 30 -is"pos,iti`v ely limited,however, by means of key 29 and walls of openings 28 in striking plate26 and by engagement of cap 31 with the striking plate.

Novel means are provided for yieldingly resisting relative movement ofthe' center member with respect to the remainder of the car structure.Preferably, said yielding means are so constituted that the travel ofthe longitudinal center member relative to the remainder of the carstructure is greatly in excess of the travel of standard draftgears nowin use. Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the yielding/means may coinprise a plurality of coil springs 35,which.

^ a follower 36 that is slidably mountedin saidhave engagement adjacenttheir outer ends with follower plate 34 and extend inwardly between thewebsof the channels 15 through a suitable opening in the center brac'e20to openingin the center brace.' The outer end. of follower 36 isprovided with a iange 36a which normally engages an inwardly projectingflange 205 formed on a portion 20c that projects inwardly toward thecenter of the car structure from the inner face of center brace 20 andwhich may be formed in-` tegrally with the latter ifY desired.

bers 35 maintain flanges 36a and 206 in engagement, and also maintainfollower 36 in engagement with a suitable stop 37 that isrigidlysecured, as by means of rivets, to the webs of-channels 15.Resilient members 35 also maintain follower 34 in engagement with theinner end of striking plate guide27 and in engagement with a flangedbeam 38 which extends'transversely of the inner end of the strikingplate and beneath the same.l

The beam 38 is held against movement lon-l gitudinally of the carstructure by means of tie rods or bars 39 sui' ably secured at theirouter ends to said beam and at their innery cured, as by means ofrivets, to the webs of channels 15. Member 40 constitutes a stop adaptedto engage the adjacent face of the bolster to positively limit relativemovement of the center member in one direction; it serves as a tie platefor the channels 15; and it constitutes a guide and supporting memberfor the resilient elements 35.

In order to facilitate assembly of the parts, the striking plate, whichserves as a tie plate for the outer ends of the channels, is providedinthe bottom thereof with an opening 26o through which pins 32 andcap'31may be inserted for assembly purposes. Followers 34 and 36, and stop 37,may also be provided with suitable openings 41 to permit the use ofbolts for holding springs 35 compressed during the assembly operation.

Operation-If a baiting force be exerted on coupler head 30a, su'ch aforce tends to move the coupler to the left, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3,relative to the remainder of the car structure. Relative movement of thecoupler in this direction is yieldingly resisted by means of cap 31,pins 32, follower 34 and resilient means 35. Key 29 goes solid onstriking plate 26 and cap 31 is bottomed in pocket 26a, whereupon theforce tends to produce, or produces, relative movement be- ,tween thecenter member and the remainder of theY car structure.- This relativemovement .of the center member .is resisted 'by follower 34, resilientmeans 35 and follower 36, which is held against movement byitsengagement with the projecting portion 20c of center brace 20, andbyl the resilient elements at the opposite end lof the car. vSince thetravel of theyielding means is`relatively great, the buing force isgradually absorbed without damage to the car structure. In the Undernormal conditions resilient mem-- event that the buino force'is unusuallgreat, i'

stop 40, and stop 3? car, will engage the adjacent faces of the holstersand positively limit relative movement of the center. member before there- .silient means 35 goes solid. It will be noted that the relativeAmovement of the center member .does not increase the train slack, i. e.,relative movement between cars of the train, since this slack is.determined by the movement of the coupler relative to the center 7atthe other en of the i member, which movement is positivelyV limited andmay be of any desired extent.

Train slack, and `hence movement of the coupler, is preferablymaintained very limited relative'to the movement of the center memberwith respect to the remainder of the car structure. A certain amount oftrain slack is necessary in order to prevent simultaneous action of'cars of a train either.A in starting or stopping, but this slack ispreferably of small extent and as'stated, in the present invention, maybe variedl as desired.

If a draft force is exerted on coupler 30a,

fsuch a force will move the c oivlple-r,"and*lit-ence.-

thecenter member, to the rightas viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. Relativemovement of thel center member causes `stop 37 to act through follow er36 to compress the resilient members 35, the op osite end of saidresilient members bein eld against movement by engagement of ollower 34with the striking plate guide 27 and beam 38. The resilient elements atthe other end of the car, act simultaneously to resist relative movementof the center member. If the draft force is excessive, stop 37 willengage the inner end of projecting portion 20c of the bolster and stop40, at the other end of the car,'will engage the adjacent bolster topositively limit relative movement of the center member.

The center member constitutes a rigid beam, but due to its great lengthit has been found that the stops 40 and 37 should be posiytioned atdifferent distances from the adjacent faces of the bolster if over-solidblows, resulting from buing forces, are to be distributed equally to theopposite end'portions of the car structure. Thus, stop 37 vis secured tochannels 15 in a position such that normally it is closer to theadjacent face of,

the bolster than the stop 40. If relative movement is imparted to thecenter member by a buimg force which moves the latter to the left, asviewed in Fig. 2, stop 37.at the other end of the car, will engage theadjacent bolster before stop 40 engages its adjacent bolster. Theelasticity, or compressibil'ity,

of the center member is such, and the relative positions of the stops 37and 40 are so selected with respect to this compressibility, that theover-solid buing blows are equally distributedon the opposite endportions of the car structure.

There is thus provided a hopper car embodying a long travel centermember, said travel being secured without an increase in the trainslack. Preferably, the train slack is very limited but may be varied tomeet various operating conditions. Means are provided whereby draftand-buffing forces exerted on the center member are distributed to thecar structure without likelihood of permanently deformin or damaging anyof the elements, such as te body bolsters. The latter embody novel meansfor permitting movement of the center member therethrough without lossof load supporting strength. The novel center brace transmits the loadto the center plate and trucks, thereby relieving the center member atthis point from transmitthat of three smaller springs of the samecapacity. Moreover, the center brace. may be so formed, when threeresilient members areemployed as to more evenl distribute the load onthe center late. he center brace constitutes a guide or the resilientmembers and coacts with member 40 to maintain the resilient --m'emberswith the centers of ,the v same substantially at the apices of atriangle,

the centers ofthe two =upper springs vbein vThe novel .-capt31 land pins32 enable an unusually strong striking plate to be employed, thereby'increasing the capacity of the same. The use of said cap and pins alsopermits -resilient'members 35 to be used to yieldingly resist relativemovement of the coupler with respect to the center member.

Friction resulting from engagement of guides 25 with the upper flangesof the channels 15 coacts with resilient members,4 35 to yieldinglyresist relative movement of the center member. Novel stop means areprovided which include members that embod the functions of la tie lateand a guide for t e resilient members. referably, the stop means are somounted as to have a differential movement in order to compensate fortheelasticity of the center member.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been describedand illustrated, it is to be expressly understood that the invention isnot limited to the lform shown in the drawings. l The yielding means forlresisting relative movement of the center member may be employed inother than hopper cars aswell as the means for securng train slack.Moreover, various types of yielding means, or energy dissipating means,may be employed for resisting relative movement of the center member.The travel of the center member, and hence of the yielding means, may bevaried to .suit the operating conditions and the type of car in whichthe same is used. For example, in passenger cars it may be desirable toprovide for greatervtravel of the centerl member than in hopper cars.The train slack may also be varied to meet the requirements lofparticular trains or working conditions. If desired,'the couplers may bemounted for movement in both directions relative to the center member.For example, the means disclosed in my co-pending-application Serial No.7 9,449, filed January 5, 1926, may be employed for this purpose, ormeans of the character disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No.23,111, filed A ril 14, 1925, may' be provided. Various Vc anges may bemade inthe details of the body structure and in the shape of the rolledmembers 15. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for adefinition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is l. In a car structure, body bolsters, a longitudinalcenter member extending substantially the length of said structure andmounted for movement relative to said bolsters, yielding means forresisting movement and means centrally secured to said bolsters and bodystructure and extending inwardly from the bolster for transmitting draftand buiiing forces exerted by the yielding means on the bolster to thecar struct-ure. said force transmitting means each terminating and beingsecured to said body structure at points intermediatethe bolsters.

2. In a hopper car structure, body holsters, a draft member extendingbetween said bolsters and mounted for movement relative to thebolsters,means for yieldingly resisting relative movement of the draft member,and a longitudinal hood sheet extending from one 0f said holsters tosaid body structure and adapted to coact with the holsters to resist thethrust'produced by relative movement of said draft member, said hoodsheet also constituting a torque arm for the bolster.

3. In av hopper car structure embodying cross bearer structure.intermediate its ends, a body bolster, a draft member ext-endingsubstantially the length of the structure and mounted for movementrelative to said bolster, means for yieldingly resisting movement of thedraft member relative to the bolster, and rigid means extending inwardlyfrom the bolster and terminating at said cross bearer, said rigid meansbeing secured to the body structure adjacent said cross bearer structurefor resisting the thrust pro- Aduced by relative' movement of the draftmember, and being secured to the bolster substantially intermediate theouter extremities of the same.

4. In a hopper car structure, a body bolster, a center member extendingsubstantially the length of said structure and mounted for movementrelative to said bolster, means for yieldingly resisting movement of thecenter member relative to the bolster, coupler means secured to thecenter member, and a longitudinal hood sheet rigidly secured to thebolster and extending inwardly through the adjacent hopper bottom forresisting the thrust produced by relative movement of the center member.

5. In a hopper car structure, a body bolof the center member relative tothe bolsters,.

G. In a car structure, body holsters, a con- A tinuous draft membermountedfor movement relative to said holsters, means for yieldinglresisting relative movement of the dra t member, and means secured toone of said holsters at points above and below the draft member andextending inwardly therefrom, said last named means terminating at apoint intermediate said holsters and 'having fixed engagement with thebody structure for v30 transmitting draft and butimg forces,`ex erted onsaid draft member, to said structure.

7. In a car structure having a plurality of hoppers, a body bolster, adraft member extending through said hoppers and mounted S5 for movementrelative to said bolster, means for vieldmgly reslstmg relatlve movementof the-draft member, and means extending throughone or more of saidhoppers and rigidly connected adjacent the outer end thereof to said`bolster for strengthening the latter. whereby the bolster mayeffectively resist the thrust produced by relative movement of the draftmember. l

8. In a car structure embodying a hopper, transverse members including abody bolsten and a cross bearer, a continuous draft member mounted formovement'relative to said body bolster and cross bearer, means foryieldingly resisting movement of the draft member relative to saidbolsted, and a longitudinal hood sheet extending through Asaid hopperand secured to said bolster and cross bearer.

9. In a car structure having a hopper, transverse members including abody bolster,

a draft member extending substantially the length of said structure andmounted for movement relative to said bolster, a cover plate for saidbolster and a longitudinal hood sheet extending through saidhopper andlixedly secured to said bolster and cover plate.

10. In a railway car structure, a body bolster including acenter brace,a4 draft member extending substantially the length of said structureand" mounted for movement relative to said bolster, means for yieldinglyresisting movement of the draft member relative to the gbolster, andlongitudinal strengthening means for the bolster including a memberfixedly secured to said center brace.

11. In a car structure of the longitudinally movable center member typeincluding yielding means for resisting relative movement of the centermember, a striking plate secured to the center member, a follower forthe yielding means, coupler means including a coupler shank operativelyconnected to 'the striking plate, and a plurality of pins opera- 1:3

GLS

tively connected to said follower and coupler shank for transmittingmovement of the latter, relative to the striking plate, to saidfollower.

12. In a car structure, abody bolster, a

draft member` extending substantially the- -to resist movement of thecoupler relative to the draft member.

13. In a car structure, a body bolster, a draft member extendingsubstantially the length of said structure and mounted for movementrelative to said bolster,` yielding means for resisting movement of thedraft member relative to the bolster, said yielding means includingthree coil springs having their centers disposed in two planes, and

means including a coupler movablyconnected to said draft member, themovement of said coupler relative to the draft member being resisted bysaid yielding means.

14. In a car structure, a center member eX- tending substantially thelength of said structure and adapted for movementrelative thereto,yieldin means for resisting relative movement .of t e center member, andstop means having differential movement for positively limiting relativemovement of the center member whereby over-solid blows are distributedequally to the opposite end portions of said structure.

15. In a car structure having bolsters, a draft member extendingsubstantially the length of said structure and mounted for movementrelative to said bolsters, means for yieldingly resisting relativemovement of the draft member and bolsters, and stop means adapted toengage said bolsters to positively limit movement of the draft member ineither direction, said stop means having differential movement wherebyover-solid bufling` blows are equally distributed to said bolsters,

16. In a car structure of the longitudinally movable center member typeembodying yielding means for resisting relative movement of the' centermember in either direction, a 'stop member carried by' the center memberand adapted to engage the bolster to positivel limit relative movementof the center mem er7 said stop member constituting a tie plate for thecenter member, and a guide for said yielding means.

17. In railway draft rigging, sills mounted for frictional movement withrespect to the underframe, cushioning means between said sills, acoupler with a stem disposed between said sills, means for connectingthe stem to the sills, a block disposed between the stem and thecushioning means for transmit- .ting forces therebetween to stress saidcushioning means to provide for cushioning the movement of the couplerrelative to the sills, and means on the underframe, for stressing saidcushioning means upon movement of the sills with respect to theunderframe.

18. In railway draft rigging, sills movably mounted with lrespect to anunderframe, springs mounted between said sills for cushioning relativemovement between said sills and underframe, a front follower engagingsaid springs, stop means on the underframe normally engaged by saidfollower, acasting connected to said sills, a coupler with its stemhoused in said casting, key means intersecting said stem` fortransmitting forces between it and said sills, and follower meansdisposed between the y'rear of Vsaid stem and the front follower andpassing through an aperture in the rear of said casting for transmittingbufling forces to said front follower.

19. In railway draft rigging, sills mounted beneath a vehicle underframefor longitudinal movement with respect thereto, means mounted betweensaid sills for cushioning movement thereof with respect to theunderframe, a combined striking,'sill tie and cheek plate castingmounted between and connecting the ends of said sills, a coupler stemreceived in said casting, a block with an extension passing through saidcasting into lengagement with the cushioning means, the front of saidblock being normally enga ed by said coupler stem for receiving bu gforces therefrom to transmit them to the ycushioning means upon movementof the coupler with'respect to said sills, and means intersecting thestem, combined casting and draft sills for vtransmitting forces from thestem to the sills.

20. In railway draft rigging, sills movably mounted with respect to anassociated underframe, resilient means mounted between said sills,follower means for said ref silient means, stop means for said followermeans mounted between said sills, stop means on the underframecooperating with said follower means upon movement of the `sills withrespect to the under-frame, a coupler, the stem of which extends betweensaid sills, a key extending through said stem and sills, said sillsbeing formed with elongated slots receiving said ke and permittinglimited movement thereo longitudinally of the sills, and a blockdisposed adjacent the rear of said coupler stem for transmitting forceto the resilient means upon inward movement of the coupler.

21. In railway draft rigging, sills slidably mounted on an associatedrailway vehicle underframe for longitudinal movement with respectthereto, means disposed between said sills for cushioning movementthereof with respect to said underframe, a front follower for saidcushioning means, a casting connecting the ends of said sills, a couplerwith a stem received in said casting, a movable block normally engagedby said stem, means connecting said stem and casting for transmittingforces therebetween,` and means engaged by saif. block, extendingrearwardly therefrom and passing through an aperture in said casting fortransmitting buliing forces to said follower for cushioning rearwardmovement of the coupler with respect'l to said sills.

,In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

OTHO C. DURYEA.

